Quick detachable transport wheels for windrow harvesters



Sept 1,7, 1957 R. A. CHRISTIE 2,806,707

QUICK DETACHABLE TRANSPORT WHEELS FOR WINDROW HARVESTERS Filed June l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l PM 0 E m' Sept 17, 1957 R. A. CHRIS-HE QUICK DETACHABLE TRANSPORT WHEELS FOR WINDROW HARVESTERS Filed June l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QUICK DETACHABLE TRANSPORT WHEELS FR VVEDROW HARVESTERS Reginald A. Christie, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, assigner to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 1, 1955, Serial No. 512,524

4 Claims. (Cl. 280-29) This invention relates to windrow harvesters and more particularly to novel means for arranging the windrower in transport position.

Windrow harvesters of the type under consideration comprise an elongated platform which is moved in operating position widthwise of the eld in order to gather a wide swath of crops. This type of disposition of a 12, 14 or 16 foot machine precludes its being moved in transport for any distance especially where highway travel is involved. Therefore it is incumbent to provide an arrangement for hauling the machine lengthwise so that it presents a narrow width as respects to the direction in which it is being moved. A further consideration in developing this type of an arrangement is to provide an arrangement which Will not interfere with the operation of the machine in normal use. This is particularly essential in windrow harvesters wherein the platform is adjusted to operate at times close to the ground, and therefore it is mandatory that no understructure be provided on the platform which would interfere with suchV a disposition of the harvester platform.

A general object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel and effective means adapted for quick attachment and disconnection with respect to a windrowerwhereby the same may be easily transported or put into service operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to arrange certain parts of the windrower so that they serve not only as foundation structure while the machine is in operative position, but also as anchor means for the quick attachable transport assembly.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent hom the specification and the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a windrow harvester shown in association with the novel transport attachment, portions of the structure are being omitted which are not essential to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the platform frame structure shown in association with the invention;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlraged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged view of a portion of the locking structure shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a plan view taken substantially on the line 7 7 of Figure 5.

Describing the invention in detail the windrower generally designated 2 comprises a platform structure 3 which includes a foundation framework 4 having front and rear edge beams 5 and 6, the front beam 5 supporting the cutter bar 7 in the usual manner and the front and rear beams being interconnected by fore and aft extending braces 8 and 9 which together with other fore and aft braces 1G, 11 and 12 support a longitudinal tube 13 which mi@ States Patent is connected with the braces. The tube rotatably journals a tubular rockshaft 14, the opposite outer extremities and 16 (Fig. 3) of which project outwardly of the opposite ends of the tube and are connected to the rear ends 17 and 13 of the fore and aft forwardly extending arms 19 and 20, which is provided with spindle shafts 21 and 22 respectively and which mount carrier wheels 23, 24 which are rotatable on axes perpendicular to the line of travel of the harvester. One arm 19 may have a universal connection as at 25 (Fig. 3) to the lower end of an adjusting screw 26 which may have intermediate its ends a threaded engagement with a nut 27 which may be swivelly mounted as at 28 on the platform beam member 12. The upper end of the screw 26 may be provided with the crank 29 whereby the screw may be rotated for lowering and raising the wheels 23 and 24 attendant to swinging movement of the arms 19 and 20 together with the rockshaft 14.

It will be understood that for operating position the wheels would be lowered and for transport the wheels would normally be raised as best shown in Figure 3.

The tube 13 is provided adjacent to its end 31 (Figs. 2 and 3) with a depending lug 32 which has an aperture 33 extending axially lengthwise of the tube 31 which receives a peg or pin 34 on the inner end of a hitch element 35 which intermediate its ends is offset upwardly and provided with an upstanding lug structure 37 which is apertured at 3S and receives a stub extension 39 of the rockshaft 14, the extension 39 being provided with threads to receive a nut 40 for retaining the hitch in assembly with the platform. The outer end of the hitch is provided with a jaw 42 for reception of the tractor drawbar as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The tube 13 is provided intermediate its ends with a pair of oppositely downwardly and outwardly extending pegs or pins 44 and 5:5, said pin t4 extending rearwardly and the pin 45 extendng forwardly and each pin projects through an aperture 46 on the inner end 47 of a beam structure or reach generally indicated 43 of a transport wheel assembly generally indicated 49. lt will be seen that two such supported :assemblies 49 are provided and that both are of identical construction and that beam assembly 48 of each extends diagonally upwardly and inwardly and is constituted of a pair of laterally spaced generally parallel L beam members 50 which at their inner or distal ends are interconnected by a transverse plate 51 within which the before-mentioned aperture 46 is provided and which is adapted to sustain the inner end 47 of the beam assembly 43. The outer or proximal ends 53 of the beam assembly 43 embrace between their vertical ilanges 54 the inner end 55 of a stub shaft 56 :and weldconnected thereto, said stub shaft 56 extending generally horizontally and journalling an associated wheel 57 thereon. The beam assembly 4S at its outer end is flanked by a pair of upright gusset or brace structures generally indicated 5S each of which possess a gusset plate 59 having a lower end 69 weld-connected to the external side of the upstanding ange 54 and at its lower edge seating as at 61 against the top side of the out-turned flange 62 of the related beam member 50. The outer edges of the gusset plate 59 are provided with an integral laterally extending ange member 63 which at its upper end is turned inwardly to provide an inwardly extending flange portion 64 which provides a seat 65 for the associated beam member 5 or 6 as will readily be seen in Figure 5. The upper end 63a of the brace structure is provided with apertures 66 through its anges 63 which receive pins 67, the inner ends of which are provided with abutment means in the form of a washer and Cotter key 68 for receiving the inner end of a spring 69 which is compressed between the washer and the inner side 70 of ttransport wheeis. tion disengaging it from its hitch pointvti as shown 1n Figure l and the hitch- $2 is raised and suitably anchored the flange 63, the pin 67 passing through the outer side 71 ofthe flangeV and being Vfastened to a latch plate'72 which has its inner side 73 seated against the outer side 71 ofthe liange 63 .and -isdrawn thereagainst by the expansion of the springs 69. Theupperend of the plate is provided with a pairY of lip structures or inwardly extending lugs 74 Ywhich are adapted to overlie the integral plate .portion 75 'of the front beam or the ange 76 of the rear 'beam 6 ltohold it Vbetween the same and a related seat 65, it will he observed that pins or interlocking means 77 are .provided .on .the inner flange portion 64 which upstand .from the seat '65 and through apertures 78 in -the .portion .75 orthe rear flange 76 as will be readily seen Yin .Figures 4and 5.

Assuming .that the parts are in assembled position as shown in Figure 4 in order to disconnect the transport .wheelsthe latch members72 are pulled outwardly against the compression ofthe .springs 69 and are lowered to dis- .engage v.the Apins 77 from the .opening 78 whereupon the entire structure may be pulled endwise to disengage the Vinner ends of the diagonal braces 4S trom the pins 44 .andf-l'. VOfcourse, preparatory to thus removing these Qtransport wheels the operating wheels 2l and 22 are lowered by suitably cranking the adjusting means 26 `so that the ground wheels raise the platform any height YVso that thewheels 57 of the transport means are disengaged from theground so that by merely disengaging .or unlocking the latches 72 the transport assemblies will fall out of engagement.

lriorder to re-apply the transport wheels the inner ends of the beam assemblies 4S are inserted on the respective pins and $5 and each assembly is moved upwardly with the latches and are held outto clear the portions 75 or 76-of the respective beams 5 and 6 and then the latches are released in order to overlap the interlocking lugs 74 wim respective members 75 or 76 coincident with the entry of the pins 77 into respective apertures 7S. The hitch is applied merely by inserting the pin 34 endwise into the aperture 33 in the lug 32 and the lug 37 over the jgassociated'end of the shaftl and apply. the nut 49 for holding the same.

Thereafter the wheels 2i and 22 are cranked up and the structure is vcaused to rest on the The tractor is then moved to a posito the'platform in raised position as shown in dotted lines 'inl Figure l then the tractor is moved to a position Where the jaa/42 is engaged and pinned to the drawbar.

What is claimed is:

'of its'ends'and transverse plate means connected to the other Vof its ends and having an aperture in said plate vrneans for reception of'associated mounting means, up-

right brace'means having a lower end connected to said beam structure at said one end thereof and having an inwardly flanged upper extremity providing a seating surface for structureto he supported and having interlocking means thereon forV cooperation with complementary means on the supported structure, and interlocking means Vassociated with the upper extremity of said brace means comprising a plate extending across said brace means and seated against the external side, thereof, means movably connecting the plate with said brace means for movement generally parallel to the seating surface and including means for yieldably drawing said plate against saidbrace -means, and alip structure on the plate spaced vertically from the seating Vsurface in overlying relation thereto "for receiving a portion of the supported structure between lthe same and -the seating surface.

` {.2. The combination with a supported structure having Cal top and bottom sides, at least one free edge and a frame member vwith a transverse outwardlydirected lug therebeneath, a wheel mounting comprising a reach beneath the supported structure having an apertured inner end receiving said lug and a wheel supported outer end, an upstanding portion connected to said reach adjacent to its outer end and having a transverse upper part providing an upwardly facing seat engaging said bottom side of the supported structure adjacent to said free edge thereof, an upstanding pin on said part projecting into an aperture in sa-id structure, and `a ylatch extending from Asaid portion above said top side of the structure outwardly of said edge Iand having an inwardly projecting lug adapted to yoverlap said top side of the structure from said free edge thereof, and means movably mounting -said latch on said portion for movement toward and away with respect to said edge and including spring means biasing said latch toward ysaid edge.

3. The ,combination ofa supported structure having top and bottom sides and a free edge, a wheel mounting cornprising an elongated reach structure .beneath said supuported structure zandhavinginner and outer ends, releasable interinokingV means .onsaid inner end of the reach structurev ands'aid supported vstructure relatively separable ,and engageable attendant to movement of said wheel mounting.length-Wise of said reach structure respectively away and toward said supported structure, wheel means mounted von the outer end of said reach structure, a

standardyconnected to saidreach structure adjacent to said outer Vend thereof, ,and having an upper end including la transverseV portion with a lseat engaging a portion of said,bottomsidecfsaid supported structure adjacent to said edgethereof, avertical pin on one of said port-ions extendingintoV an aperture in the other portion,`and a latch spring-mounted uponsaid 'standard and disposed routwardly ofsaiclfree edge of the supported structure and having apart extending over and engaging said topfside of said supported structure and movable toward said edge .and away therefromto respectively engage Vand disengage s-aid partwithi said supported structure.

4. A releasable wheel mounting for a supported struc ture comprising a st ub shaft, a wheel thereon, a diagonal reach extending upwardly away from said wheel and havin g a proximal end connected to the stub shaftand having `a distalend includinginterlocking means thereon for cooperation with `associated mounting means on the supported structure,.an upright standard havinga lower end connected to said reach adjacent to Iits proximal end and vhaving an .upperwend witha portion providing a seating surface for the -supportedstructure and having interlocking means for cooperation with complementarymeans onthe supported s truture, and latching means associated .withthe lupper endof said standard and comprisinga Vmf.='rnb er seatedA against therv external side thereof and extending upwardly above said surface, means movably connetingf said, member,to said standard for movement toward and away from 4s z 1id s urface and including means for .yieldablydrawingthe membertoward said standard, and

a lip structure on said member spaced vertically from `said surface -in overlying relation thereto for receiving a portion of the supported Ystructurebetween the same and Ythe seatingsurface- .References Citedin the tile of this patent 

